Lyles handed over key career mememto to Martinez

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CHICAGO – Under different circumstances, Jordan Lyles would have kept the ball he threw to strand the bases loaded and seal his first major league save Monday night against the White Sox.

The Astros’ 22-year-old righthander presented the ball, however, to rookie righthander David Martinez, who had thrown 2 2/3 innings of relief to earn his first major league victory.

“I definitely would have kept it,” he said. “I would have sent it back home and put it in the house somewhere.”

Lyles, a regular starter who is tied for the team lead in victories with six, handed Martinez the ball because he remembered how he felt on Aug. 3, 2011, when he earned his first major league victory against the Cincinnati Reds.

“I remember my first win,” he said. “I wanted anything and everything from that game just so I could reflect back on it on it down the road. So it wasn’t my place to keep that ball. I felt like it was his.”

Martinez was demoted back to Class AAA Oklahoma City after the game. He’s likely to return after the Class AAA playoffs.

“He did a tremendous job,” manager Bo Porter said of Martinez. “I think we’ll be seeing him back here once the Triple-A playoffs are over.”